Well it looks like the state of California will score yet another victory for animal welfare! As of January 1st, 2010, tail docking of dairy cattle is banned (Journal of American Veterinary Association, Dec. 2009). Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill on October 11th with the full support of the California section of the ASPCA. This new law bans a tail docking of dairy cows unless "the procedure will save the cow's life or relieve pain." That's fairly progressive legislation in my mind. As you may recall, the latest legislative efforts to ban all declawing of cats also originated in California. Since then, several other states have taken up the mantle.
Why do you think California is such a leader in animal welfare? What do Californians do (or have) that set them apart from other states? Your thoughts?
--Dana
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